Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng visits Hữu Dinh commune – the only new-style rural area in Châu Thành district – and inspected the salinity situation in Giồng Trôm commune, which recently lost 90 percent of harvest-ready rice acreage. — Photo vtv

BẾN TRE (VNS) — Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng asked the southern province of Bến Tre to adopt short and long term plans to tackle saltwater intrusion while inspecting local measures to tackle the ongoing disaster yesterday.

Bến Tre has lost 19,000ha of winter-spring rice crop, over 500ha of vegetables, nearly 5,800ha of fruits, and 475ha of aquaculture to salinity, becoming one of the Vietnamese localities hardest hit by saltwater intrusion.

Over 88,200 households with 353,000 people lack fresh water. Those living in three coastal districts are most afflicted. As many as 162 out of 164 communes and precincts are affected by the lack of fresh water.

To minimise losses, the Party leader called for switching to drought-resistant plants and animals. He hailed the provincial Party Committee for improving local well-being within the region, partly by developing a set of specific remedial actions.The upgraded socio-economic and technical infrastructure has resulted in a 7.3 per cent economic growth increase per year, with the rate of poor households falling to 5.5 per cent.

Bến Tre should remove any business obstacles which may arise, improve the business climate, develop tourism, and tap marine-based economic potential, the Party leader suggested. Lauding the province for its thorough preparations for the upcoming election of deputies to the National Assembly and People’s Councils for 2016-2020, the Party leader expressed hopes that elections will be held in a democratic and lawful manner.

The Party chief also urged that a Resolution on Party building adopted by the 11th Party Central Committee’s fourth plenum be consistently implemented. He emphasised that personnel work is of special significance.

Earlier, he visited Hữu Dinh commune – the only new-style rural area in Châu Thành district – and inspected the salinity situation in Giồng Trôm commune, which recently lost 90 percent of harvest-ready rice acreage. During his trip, he also visited a coconut processing plant and invoked heroic Vietnamese mothers. — VNS